Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-08-18
INVESTIGATING THE ACCIDENT.
THE CORONER'S JURY EXAMINE
A NUMBER OF WITNESSES.

THE CORONER'S JURY EXAMINE
A NUMBER OF WITNESSES.
This Accident and Others Declared to
be Due to the Rapid Rate Of Speed Of
Trains-The Danger at the ssY''-The
Attempts to Stop the lll.Fated Train
Coroner Patterson began an inquest at IL O'Clock
to-day at Lees undertaking establishment into
the cause OF the death OF s. H. Brosius, the engi-
neer killed yesterday morning in the accident on
the Baltimore and Ohio Y. A jury was summoned,
composed OF the following: James MAN, Angelo
Massino, George Wilson, Benjamin Curbey, John
McGrann and Benjamin Palmer
TESTIMONY OF FLAaMAN MURPHY.
Michael Murphy, Baltimore and Ohio flagman
at the crossing at the boundary, said that he saw
the train, No. 4, coming In. He heard the engi-
neer whistle two or three times before he reached
witness crossing. He blew one whistle for down
brakes He observed the train as 1t passed him.
The driving wheels OF the engine were "chocked'
very fast-faster than usual at that point. The
driving wheels were not moving at ALL and did not
move at all while the train remained In his sight.
"Did you notice any brakemen on the platforms
OF the carS?" asked the coroner
enc. SIR, did not" said the witness "When
thing wrong, and I looked at the engine to see
what was the matter. l did not see any brake
men,"
man. The engineer was at his post,
DOING HIS DUTY LIKE NAN.
Leonard A. Norton, who lives at No. 40 Colfax
street, Baltimore and Ohio Railroad watchman,
testified that when the train passed his crossing
at street the engineer seemed to be doing all his
and he was blowing for brakes He thinks the
engine blOwed for brakes four or i've times before
reaching his crossing.
THE ENGINEER ':DoMo HIS BEsr' TO STOP THE TRAIN.
lad 1AA
gateman at the crossing corner of and lst streets
was next called. He said he was In such an ex-
cited state that he hardly remembered any
thing. He remembered three distinct blows
Of the whistle, one before the train
long blow, the others short He was under the
impression at nrst that there was something on
the track. The locomotive went on to the Y, and
passed nearly nal1 way around. Witness under
stood that the engineer doing his best to stop
the train. He was blowing for "down brakes"
that the train was going at the rate OF SO or 90
miles an hour The train was coming directly to-
ward witness. and he did not think 1t was running
SO fast. He did not notice the brakemen.
DAsHING TO DEATH AT SIXTY NILES AN HOUR.
John F. Buete, of No. s31 1st street northeast,
testified that he heard the distress whistle blow
ing, before the engine entered the city. He then
heard the engine blowing for the Y. When the
train passed witness it was going at the rate Of
the Y, the cars were thrown OF. The two cars
in the center seemed to witness to be the that
struck the building. One Of them struck the edge;
the other went underneath the tower. There were
men on the train, at least six or seven, trying to
stop It, He saw them at the brakes on the plat
form the train HANDS even down to the porters OF
ported i've trains last week for coming in there
at the rate OF 40 or so miles an hour.
the TRAIN until after it crossed X street. He
thought from the movement OF the train that the
engine was not reversed until it reached that
Ylnfn ffYn0 ha f1rCf hoo ho do
whistle the train had 2A miles In which to slacken
its speed. He heard the whistle seven times. He
said he ne calculated the great speed from the fact
engine or the names on the cars as they passed
him. One Of the passengers told witness that the
city and when Il STUCK K the tower - as it did at
Rockville.
Albert Marshall, colored, testified to seeing the
train flying into the city blowing the whistle, CIV
ing evidence similar to other witnesses.
TEN MINUTES LATE-cOEDUcroR wHEELEE's STORY.
George Wheeler, the conductor Of the ill-fated
train, was the next witness The train, he said.
left washington Junction, AZ miles away, ten
minutes late. At Tuscarora and Boyd's where
Silver Springs the train was all right and under
control At Brooks Station, where the down grade
begins, witness went out and looked at the air
brakes and found them all right. At the water
station this side of Brooks the train shot out. He
saw then that the air had given out. The engineer
blew for brakes at the bend at the Ger
between the smoking car and the ladies' car, doing
what he could to put on the brakes. Witness knew
the air was gone by the sudden shooting forward
OF the train. He could nottell the cause Of it. He
had two brakemen one OF whom acted as baggage
master. Up to the time the air gave out the train
coming to him from sleeper at Terra Gotta to get
a IS bill changed. He walked from one car to
another, and the train was all right. With air
35 or 40 miles an hour, and make good STOP The
train could De stopped inside Of 500 yards.
THE BRAKES ALL DOWN AND ''SET SOLID"
1t was such short time, said the witness for
hand-brakes to act, that the train could not be
stopped by them. The brakes were all put down
were in that condition after the accident occurred
Everything was done that mortal man could do.
All witness thought about was to try to stop the
train. The last swing threw him from the plat
form into the smoking car. The witness said, in
anwer to juror, train going 60 miles an hour
would be more likely TO ny the track than one
going slow. The engineer had a steam-brake on
the engine, separate from the air-brake on the
train The steam-brake was for emergencies
A representative OF the Baltimore and Ohio road
present explained that it was apparent that the
engineer had applied the steam brake, as the
wheels were sliding. He thought this fact might
explain why the heavy train behind the engine left
the track.
BRAKEMAN M'KEE.
Jno. Mckee, q brakesman on the train, testified
that he heard the engineer blowing for brakes first
ut the water station, quarter Of mile above the
boundary. He was on the rear car, and he put the
brakes on both sleeperS. He did not 20 through
the cars, but set the brakes on the forward plat
form OF one and the rear platform OF the other.
the next to the last car. Witness had been ON
duty all night, from 10 O'Clock until the time the
accident occurred, eight hours and half He had
one hour yet to do duty before the train reached
Baltimore. Witness noticed the train going faster
than usual after the car passed Brooks Station,
and Just then he heard the signal for brakes.
WHAT THREW THE CARS OFF TH1 TRACK.
Benz. F. BroStuS, q brother of the deceased and
an engineer on the road, was called to the stand.
He said there was nothing that would render an
engine unmanageable unless something broke
about the engine, some bolt gave way, or some
thing OF that kind occurred. The fact that the
engine wheels were sliding showed that the en-
CINE was not unmanageaDle When asked as to
his theory as to why the train left the track, in
view OF the testimony given the witness said that
in going around q curve the weight OF the train,
the engine being locked, would tend to throw
some cars on the track. His experience had taught
him that 1t was safer In going around curve to
have the engine pull the train instead Of having
the train pushing against the engine. The cars
pushing the engine would be more likely to leave
The track. The fact that the wheels were locked
In this case Indicated that the engine was re-
versed. Witness was surprised to see the track in
the condition It was after the wreck, and he was
satisfied that the engine did not leave the track
until It was pulled on by the cars
E. r. Robinson. the baggage-maSter on the train,
said he heard the blow for brakes, and went out
and put the brakes down between the baggage car
and smoker. This was at the old water station
above the boundary.
STORY OF TIE NAN WHO LRAPRD FROM THE TOWER.